"You keep hearing us say we don't have money, but we have resources: family," said Barrera. “If mom and dad are vigilant, they will do a lot of good for this community."

"I challenge the community to step up and call in when they see a bad thing, and not wait until someone is lying in the gutter," said Mayor Joe Gunter. Gunter added that Salinas is not a bad town, but it's getting "bad reputation from a very small portion of people."

Police Chief Kelly McMillin said he's had to field one question the most from the community this week: Are residents safe?

"I will say Salinas is safe place," McMillin said. "Sometimes it may not seem like Salinas is a safe place, but the people most at risk are those closest to gangs, people who engage in high-risk lifestyle. They are the ones getting hurt."

Blazes raging in forests and woodlands across California have taken the life of a firefighter and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes as crews continue to battle the flames from the air and the ground.